Love Enlightened
by Calysra
Summary: Five-year jump after Sozin's Comet. Ohev has proposed to Toph, but she is thinking twice about it. Sokka, Katara, and Aang visit unexpectedly, and she takes a vacation with them to Kyoshi island, where surprises await. Drama/Tension. TOKKA *COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

Love Enlightened

Chapter 1:

Toph fingered the necklace, memorizing the feel of the pendent's shape and carvings. A fine chain hung loose from her hand, swinging slightly and glinting the moon off of its gilded surface, but she couldn't see that. All she could do was run her thumb over the design, over and over again. The image of a badgermole backed by a map of the world. He'd spent weeks carving the mold, he said, and months saving up the money for the gold. He said she deserved it. Said he loved her.

The jet-haired woman clamped her teeth down hard against the tears that bit at her eyes. When she opened them, the pale orbs shined as the moon relflected off of the wet. Ohev was a good man, she knew. He was pure-hearted, and he loved her for who she was, not for the porcelain doll her parents thought she was. But something in her heart had kept her from saying yes when he asked, and prompted her to ask him to let her think about it. He'd understood and left her to herself.

She sighed. Why couldn't she get over him? It had been a year since she'd seen him last, and that was just a short visit. Nearly five years ago he'd gone with Aang and Katara, a body guard to the both of them, and no doubt in charge of the maps, as they travelled the world so that Aang could settle disputes left over from the war. Toph chuckled when she thought that he might have also originally gone along to keep an eye on his sister and her loverboy to make sure they didn't do anything to hasty, but they were married now. She closed her eyes and shook her head. She missed them all so much.

Even for a whole year, even when Ohev returned from his nomadic travels and began to court her, she couldn't give up the hope that Sokka would return and she'd be able to tell him how she felt. She'd always thought she'd get the chance eventually. After all, he'd left Suki behind on his travels as well. She'd gone back to Kyoshi to rally the warriors after their ordeals in Fire Nation prison. She was their rock, and as much as she had wanted to go with Sokka or for Sokka to stay with her, it was impossible. Since then they'd only seen eachother for short visits, when Aang's Avatar duties took them near Kyoshi. It had been the same whenever they came near Gaoling. The gang stopped to meet with Toph and catch up.

But they'd been hopping between the Fire Nation and Norther Water Tribe for a year now, trying to tamp down the feelings of hate that the hundred-year war had bred into the people of the world. Toph sighed. She wished she could go with them, but her parents never ceased reminding her that she had duties to her family as well. They'd finally acknowledged that she was a master earthbender and had given her some freedom, but they also insisted that she represent the Bei Fongs wherever she went. So they dragged her to parties and meetings in formal gowns and headdresses and people finally knew about the secret daughter of the Bei Fong family. The blind woman who couldn't even compete in Earth Rumble, because she was too good. There was no competion.

And they never stopped the ceaseless line of suitors come to win her hand in marriage. She swiftly booted many of them with a hard column of earth, and they usually ran. Damn cowards. They were only after her family's wealth.

Only a few people she'd ever known had actually cared for her as a person instead of as an earthbender or the Bei Fong daughter. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Ohev, mostly. Others knew her and respected her, but these were the ones she truly considered her friends.

So if Ohev was offering her his heart, why couldn't she return it?

Toph closed her eyes as a chilly wind whipped past her small frame and she shivered. She had always hoped that Sokka would realize she loved him and return it, but certainly that was never going to happen. He loved Suki, and Ohev loved her. Why couldn't she just accept it?

She wandered back into her room through the large double doors, the light veil drapes brushing her skin pleasantly as she went inside. She quietly undressed and slid between her sheets before closing her eyes and willing the worries away.

* * *

The bison landed with a grunt in the front courtyard of the Bei Fong Estate. Sokka jumped down and stretched. Flying for a long period of time still made him stiff, and his bad leg still bothered him every once in a while. Once his muscles were considerably less cramped, he looked around as Katara and Aang jumped down from Appa's back. The place still looked pretty much the same as it had a year ago. Lady Bei Fong made sure the servants kept it pretty much spotless, and her parents still couldn't understand that Toph would be okay even if they rearranged the landscape. He chuckled to himself. They never did fully understand how she looked at the world, but as she got older they stopped most of their overbearing ways.

As soon as the bison had landed on the earth, Toph's eyes had gone wide and she'd bolted away from the breakfast table at a speed that her mother gasped at, thinking that in her blindness Toph could trip or run into something. She grossly underestimated her seventeen-year-old daughter, for Toph knew the house like the back of her hand, and vibrations ran through the earth and back to her with every step she took, telling her where everything lay ahead of her.

When Sokka's familiar vibration ran through the earth, Toph doubled her speed, winding through the many hallways and doors that made up the vast Bei Fong home. Katara's and Aang's vibrations were noted as well.

When Toph reached the front door, she slowed and stopped for a few seconds, catching her breath and pulling her garments back into their proper places. Her outfit was alot like her Blind Bandit outfit, but had matured with her. It fit her figure much more snuggly than when she was twelve, and moved with her instead of simply covering her. When she had her breath back, she nodded to the doorman, who bowed and pulled open the door. She strode out gracefully with her characteristic smirk on her face, and put her hands on her hips.

"You guys made me think you were never coming back!" She laughed. The trio, who had been pulling things down from Appa's saddle, whirled and beamed at her. They all dropped what they were doing and went to hug their old friend. Aang reached her first and wrapped his arms around his old sifu.

"You're looking great, Toph!" He exclaimed. Katara came up behind and laughed, her blue eyes sparkling. She peeled her husband off her best friend.

"Come on, Aang, let me have a turn or you might make me jealous!" Aang laughed and backed away, and Katara hugged the young woman with the pale green eyes. "It's good to see you again, Toph." She said.

"Wish I could say the same, Sweetness." Toph laughed. Then she turned to him.

Sokka had held back, a little unsure of what he was supposed to do. She grinned at him and laughed. "Why are you just standing there, Meathead? Didn't you miss me?"

His face broke out in a grin and he swiftly stepped up and enveloped her in a brief hug before standing back again, rubbing the back of his neck. Toph's face lit up with a blush that quickly receded before he could notice it.

"Hey, Toph."

"Hey, Sokka." She laughed, "So are we just going to stand out here all day or do you guys want to come inside?"

"Is there food?" Sokka quickly asked as Katara and Aang turned back to get their packs. Toph just laughed.

"You never change, do you?"

He grinned. "Nope!"


	2. Chapter 2

Love Enlightened

Chapter 2:

Despite her excitement about the gang's arrival, Toph retained her cool and sarcastic personality throughout the rest of their breakfast, which her parents grumblingly called for more of. They still hardly approved of their daughter's friendship with the hooligans who had stolen her away, so they believed, but gave the Avatar his due respect since he had saved the world and all. That meant dinner for unexpected Avatars and their wives... and brother-in-laws. It was quite possible that Sokka was the main source of unpleasantness for the Bei Fongs. His sister was charming and polite, and the Avatar was forever grateful and smiling, but the warrior in blue did nothing but fill his bottomless pit with their expensive meats and compliment the gravy.

Or so they thought. What they didn't know is that that warrior in blue also made Toph's heart flutter at the most unexpected times, so that it was all she could do to stubbornly bite down the giddiness and force back the blood in her face, before finding some reason to abuse him, whether with her tongue, muscles, or earthbending. He took it all in good stride. This was the Toph the three of them knew well, and he knew she meant no malice by it. She never seriously injured him anyways. She just teased him a bit whenever his own foolishness left him open to it, or elbowed him whenever he started to say or do something that might offend her parents more than he already did as a person.

Needless to say, it was an interesting meal.

* * *

That day, the four of them caught up on lost time. They went into town, checking out the sites of Gaoling, even though they'd seen them all a dozen times. At one point when Katara dragged Aang into a quaint looking shop, Sokka and Toph donned some disguises and conned someone for old-times sake. Katara came out and caught them, and they gave the money back, but the laughter never stopped. Aang found a small jewelry stand that had some uniquely beautiful pieces and made Katara blush by holding some earrings up and telling her how beautifully the blue reflected her eyes. Toph simply pointed a finger down her own throat, and Sokka stifled a giggle. Katara and Toph shopped for clothes, during which Toph both complained and smiled. The water tribe woman found one simple but elegant outfit that she said Toph simply had to buy. Toph had shrugged and purchased it, knowing the amount of money didn't matter, and Katara said it had looked good. Much to Toph's happiness, they joined up with Sokka and Aang again and went to a pub that all four knew and loved. Toph and Sokka enjoyed platters of all kinds of meat while Aang ate some steamed vegetables and Katara had some turchicken soup. Toph and Sokka also enjoyed some of the brewery's finest, but no so much that they lost clear thinking.

On the walk back to the Bei Fong house, the four laughed together at some joke they'd made. Sokka wiped a tear from his eye with a final laugh and said, "Aha... that was a good one."

Toph chuckled. "So, knuckleheads, how long are you staying for, and where are you headed off to next?"

Katara wasn't sure how, but she was sure that her brother became both sad and excited at the same time. She spoke first. "We can only stay for a few days, unfortunately. We still have a couple of treaties to get signed between the Fire Nation and Northern Water Tribe. They took a two-week break from the meetings, thankfully, so we took this little vacation. We're also going to visit Kyoshi before we go back."

Toph bit her lip. Of course they'd visit Kyoshi. It made perfect sense for them to visit Suki.

"Right, well," She forced a laugh, "Don't let me keep ya'!" She punched Sokka in the arm, and he jumped and grabbed the offended area with his hand. "After all, I'm sure you'd like to spend time with your girlfriend!"

Sokka blushed and looked away. "Can I still call her that? I haven't seen her in a year..."

"Of course you can, Sokka." His sister said, like it made perfect sense. She smiled. "She didn't fail to tell you how much she'd miss you last time you left, did she?"

Sokka blushed uncomfortably, and though the others didn't see, Toph did too.

* * *

Back at the Bei Fong estate at the end of the day, the Avatar and his wife decided to go lay down. They'd been travelling on Appa every couple of weeks in the last year, and the Bei Fong's mattresses were soft and inviting. Sokka was just about to declare that _he _certainly wasn't tired yet when a terrific yawn told the Bei Fongs otherwise. Sheepishly, he got up from his chair.

"I guess maybe I do need some rest." He smiled lazily, looking from Toph to her parents as if he wasn't sure if they were supposed to dismiss him, or...

Toph grinned. "G'night, Snoozles. Don't let the chipper bugs bite."

That was a good enough dismissal for him. "I won't. Goodnight, Toph." He started to walk away as Poppy turned, wanting to glare at her daughter for insinuating that her house had vermin such as chipper bugs in it, when Sokka stopped suddenly and turned back to the Bei Fongs. He surprised them more when he smiled and bowed at the waist as his master Piando had taught him. "Thank you, Sir Lao Bei Fong and Lady Poppy Bei Fong, for your hospitality and graciousness. I apologize for not sending ahead to tell you we were coming, it was an oversight on my part that I hope not to make again."

Stunned beyond response, Poppy and Lao nearly gaped at him in their awe. Toph had a bemused but impressed expression on her face. She wasn't surprised that he knew to say such things. She was simply glad he had remembered to say them, and impressed that he had bothered. Finally, Sire Lao regained his voice.

"It is our pleasure, Sokka of the Water Tribe. The Avatar and his friends are always welcome here. You bring our daughter much joy."

Sokka straightened, a broad grin on his maw. "I'm glad to hear that." Then he turned and left the room, headed for a bed he knew was as soft and comfortable as a cloud.

* * *

Quickly trying to forget how impressed he'd been at the water peasant's sudden politeness and gratitude, Lao turned back to the hand-written reports his employees had given him earlier in the day, purposely furrowing his brow and frowning in concentration upon the sheets of paper. Poppy stretched her neck discretely before returning her attention to the fabric she was embroidering - the hobby on which she spent most of her copius free time. Toph sat sideways on her chair, one leg thrown over the arm rest and one setting where she could have one foot on the floor so she could see. She was still and silent, trying to percieve the moods of her parents and playing out in her head how they would react when she told them of Ohev's offer. Not all of them were too optimistic. She fidgeted. A popping candle on the table by the wall sparked and the wick made nine pops in close concussion. Finally she couldn't stand it anymore. Unable to think of a subtle way to broach the topic, she jumped into it headlong.

"Dad, Mom, Ohev proposed."

The affect was anything but immediate. Lao never took his eyes off his paper, even as he lifted a steaming teacup to his lips and put it down again on the saucer. Her mother finished a pattern in her embroidery and folded it neatly before looking expectantly at her husband. Eyes still not deviating, he swallowed his sip of tea and paused before speaking.

"When?" He asked simply. Toph studied him with her earthbending.

"Yesterday."

"Did you answer him?"

"Not yet."

When her father deigned not to ask another question, Poppy stepped in, not missing a beat.

"Why not?" She asked. Toph shrugged.

"Not sure. I wanted to let you know first... and I needed to think about it." Poppy's brow furrowed and the "why" was on her lips when her husband came back into the conversation.

"Toph." He said in his 'be reasonable' voice. Toph hated that voice. He finally put his paper down and looked away with a sigh. "Did you really think I could give my blessing to him?"

Toph bristled. "I don't see why not." She countered. Her father sighed, as if she were a child that didn't understand adult affairs.

"Toph. I know you think he's nice, and he is a good man, but he has nothing to offer you as a husband. He's the son of a servant who became a nomad with no personal possessions. He has no savings, no business to support you with."

"I don't need money to be comfortable." She spat. "He loves me. Isn't that enough?"

Her father closed his eyes and rubbed his temple, keeping his jaw clamped closed to keep himself from getting angry. This really wasn't something to get too angry about. He could understand her disillusionment.

Toph's face remained set and stubborn until her mother's voice broke the silence.

"Toph," Poppy said quietly, "Do you love him?"

Toph kept emotion from her face in the moment of silence that followed. A memory of a man's vibration passed through her like a brisk breeze. A distinctive laugh and characteristic whine paired with the memory of his footsteps as he walked away, down the hall to the guest bedroom. The feeling of his stances swept through her as surely as if she knew them all herself, and the sound of his sword slicing the air was as familiar as the whispering of the tree's leaves in the summertime.

But she only turned her head away from her mother's eyes, which she knew must be searching her face for the truth. Stoicly, she repeated her previous words. "He loves _me_, mother. That's more than I've ever gotten." Poppy sighed.

"Toph..." her father started.

"Father," Toph interrupted, "I let you know about his proposal out of courtesy. You are my parents and you deserve to know. But if I deny him, it won't be because of his lack of money. And if I decide to marry him, I'll do it with or without your blessing." Before he could answer, she turned and stalked away, headed towards the only sanctuary she had from them anymore, her room.

As she laid down on her soft bed, blind to the world, she let out a breath. She needed a vacation from this. From her parents, and yes, even from Ohev. She thought about Kyoshi island. Would she rather brave possible lovey-dovey interaction between Suki and Sokka or deal with her angry father and a questioning Ohev. He was sure to ask why she hadn't answered yet. Toph sighed and turned onto her side, drawing her knees up slightly in unconscious uncertainty. She'd ask Katara tomorrow if she could go with the trio to Kyoshi. She hadn't practiced her sandbending in a while, anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

Love Enlightened

Chapter 3:

A man, awakened by the Kyoshi sunlight pouring in through his window, grunted and got up to make himself some morning tea. He glanced into Suki's room as he passed it, but the girl was gone. Up early and training with the rest of the warriors, he supposed.

Suki's father Oro was of average size and build, with a gray beard and graying brown hair. He was neither stout nor thin, and was once one of the male warriors that protected Kyoshi along with the women. He quickly heated some water and steeped some tea leaves before stepping out onto the porch of the house he and Suki shared. He was retired now, but his daughter continued to train with the Kyoshi warriors. The war was over, but there were still the occasional rebellion or pirate attack. Kyoshi was always ready.

He had taken his first sip of his steaming tea and was going for the second when a hawk screeched above him and rode the drafts through the air to descend and land on the porch railing. Oro started with surprise. It was a fire nation messenger hawk. Hesitantly he popped open the message container and pulled out the tiny scroll.

_Suki,_

_Katara, Aang, Toph and I are all on our way to Kyoshi. Sorry that we've been away for so long, but world peace isn't as easy as it sounds. We are all looking forward to seeing you and the rest of the Kyoshi warriors again. See you soon._

_Love,_

_Sokka_

Oro frowned and downed the rest of his tea in a gulp before leaving to find his daughter.

* * *

"Suki!"

The voice broke her concentration and she rose out of her stance to look around for the source. Her father was standing in the doorway of the training room. Surprised, she went over to him.

"Is something wrong, Dad?" She asked. He handed her the message he'd recieved from the messenger hawk. She read it and her eyes went wide. "Sokka's coming?"

"Yes. Do you remember what we talked about?" He asked. She looked at him pleadingly.

"Dad, please..." He waved a hand, cutting her off.

"It's what's best. For you and for Noni." He looked around suddenly. "Speaking of which, where is she?"

"She's with Maren." Suki answered. Maren was a younger girl who'd offered to care for Noni while Suki was training.

"Good. So you remember what to tell him when he meets her?" Her father insisted, trying to look in Suki's eyes. She hung her head and looked away.

"Don't worry, I'll tell him."

Her father wrapped her in his arms. "Good. It'll all be alright, you'll see."

Suki only nodded dumbly.

* * *

Toph was quiet as the wind whipped by, pushing her bangs off her face. She leaned back on Sokka's rolled up sleeping bag, and noticed it didn't smell funny anymore. In an effort to avoid thoughts of the future, she threw herself into thoughts of the past, of past trips on Appa and the adventures the four of them had.

Sokka looked over at her. He was used to her silence. After all, nobody talked all the way through hours of flying. But she had barely said anything since this morning, when they'd loaded up Appa and taken off, waving goodbye to Toph's parents. She just seemed... withdrawn. Not in tune with everything like she usually was.

"Hey, Toph!" Aang said from Appa's head, "How did your parents react when you said you were going with us?"

Toph turned her head towards the young monk's voice, her thoughts flung violently back to the present. She angled her head down so that her bangs fell back in front of her face despite the wind.

"There wasn't much they could say. I was pretty much going whether they let me or not. I think they knew I needed a vacation." She left out a description of a similar talk she'd had with Ohev. He hadn't quite understood why she was leaving without giving him an answer, and she assured him she'd give him an answer when she got back. He'd only nodded his head sadly and gone home.

For some reason, she had been expecting a bit more reaction. Maybe some impatience. She had already delayed giving him a response for nearly a week.

"Well, that's good." Aang replied. "I'm glad they understand you better now, even if only a little bit."

"They still think I'm helpless because of my blindness." Toph retorted sharply, "They still don't get that I can see just fine... Oh well! At least they recognize that the 'Avatar' can 'protect' me. You know, like if I fall and stub my toe or something." She snorted as Aang tensed and turned around to look at her strangely.

"Toph, are you okay?" He asked. Katara looked up from a shirt she was sewing and gave Toph a concerned look. Sokka didn't need to look up. He realized suddenly he'd already been staring at Toph for quite some time.

"I'm fine, Aang. I told you, I need a vacation." After that she didn't say anything else, and turned pointedly to the side of the saddle to stare blindly out into the sky, indicating the conversation was over. Aang turned slowly back to the front and Momo climbed into his lap, where he recieved an absent-minded pat. Katara stared at Toph a few more seconds before returning to her mending, and Sokka looked away, but his bored eyes eventually moved from the monotony of the white clouds back to the small earthbender. She seemed more tense than he remembered, like there was something heavy weighing on her mind. He resolved to ask her about it later.

* * *

"Land ho!" The Avatar cried in a light and happy voice. His wife laughed and stood to see Kyoshi island fast approaching. She wrapped her arms around Aang's shoulders lovingly.

"Where'd you learn that one from? Pirates?" She giggled.

"Certainly not the ones we got the scroll from all those years ago." He responded with a playful smile. "Earth Kingdom sailors use the phrase, actually. I suppose they get so excited seeing their native element again, they can't wait to tell everybody." Katara laughed.

"Those were good times, weren't they?" She asked. He looked at her curiously, clearly asking when they had been earth kingdom sailors. She squeezed him gently, a wry smile on her face. "You know what I'm talking about. I mean when we were young, going on adventures, saving the world." He smiled.

"We're still young, and certainly still saving the world, in a way, by putting it back together." He grinned and turned his head to hers. "And we can make our own adventures."

She smiled in return and kissed him. "True."

"Okay!" Sokka declared a bit loudly, "Maybe we could pause the lovey-dovey and land the flying bison, now? Thanks."

"Seriously!" Toph joined in, "Let's get back down to earth, please!"

Aang smiled at his wife and turned back to the front. "Come on, buddy! Don't want to keep them waiting!"

With a low groan Appa lowered towards the ground, slowly touching down with a resounding rumble. The people of Kyoshi cried out excitedly and ran forward to greet the Avatar and his friends.

A familiar gray head and fur cape strode out in front of the rest of the villagers with a platoon of Kyoshi warriors, Sokka looked around, but the leader of the warriors was not there. Aang and Katara dropped to the ground, followed by Toph, who sank ankle-deep into the hard dirt, making the villagers gasp in surprise. One young man appeared to faint, frothing at the mouth. Last down from Appa was Sokka, who slid down the bison's side until his feet touched the earth. He walked up behind his sister and the Avatar.

"Welcome back to the Island of Kyoshi, young Avatar!" Oyagi exclaimed. Aang waved.

"Good to be back, Leader Oyagi!"

The gray-haired man chuckled. "I'm afraid I no longer hold that title, Avatar Aang. I've retired! My son Oro now holds that position!"

A man with gray-brown hair stepped up from the crowd and bowed at the waist. He looked much like his father did. "Welcome back to Kyoshi, Avatar Aang, Lady Katara, and Sokka."

Toph grinned. "Hey, what about me?" She called. Oro laughed.

"You must be Toph!" He said. "I have heard many things about you from Suki and your friends."

"You know Suki?" She asked.

"Toph, Oro is Suki's father." Sokka explained. Toph shrugged, and Oro just chuckled.

"Allow me to show you to the house the four of you will be staying in." He said. "Three of you are aquainted with it already, but it gives me something to do." He laughed. Toph smiled. Suki's dad wasn't so bad. She felt a pang of envy, wishing her own father was more like Oro.

It would be one more thing to be jealous of Suki for during their stay here.

* * *

"Hey, everyone!" Said a familiar voice as they approached the guest house. Suki came out of the house and came quickly down the steps until her feet touched the tamped earth in front of them.

"Hey, Suki!" The gaang said at once. Sokka ran ahead, then slowed. He hesitated as he had done with Toph just a few days ago, and Suki held out her arms.

"Hey, Sokka." She said. He stepped up and gave her a tight hug before stepping back, her fingers lingering in his.

"Hey, Suki." He said uncertainly. She laughed.

"It's okay, Sokka." She said smiling, but then she cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Um... I have someone for you all to meet."

Sokka looked surprised, and let go of her hands. "Okay." He said. Suki smiled and turned back towards the house as the others caught up with Sokka.

"Maren? Could you bring Noni out, please?" Suki looked back at Sokka to watch his reaction.

Sokka wasn't sure what to feel as the younger girl brought out a small baby about three months old. A million questions ran through his head in an instant. He turned to Suki for an explanation. She read the questions in his eyes.

"She's my daughter, Sokka."

An odd sort of delight ran through Sokka for an instant, and then a strange sort of sadness, and when his emotions fumbled a small inkling of jealousy took up the ball, and the next question was in his eyes before she could blink. Suki answered again, before he could ask.

"And she's your daughter, too."

The world thumped to a halt for an instant before Sokka's brain caught up. If his emotions had been confused before, they were absolutely befuddled now. A radical joy tickled his ribs and made him puff up. His _daughter._ Then a life-rocking fear and disappointment in himself humbled his pride as he realized what that meant. _His_ daughter. He hadn't been there. Suki, unwed, had become pregnant and had her child without the father, Sokka, around. How could he have been so unresponsible? A flash of confusion whipped through him when for an instant, he remembered they had never... well, they had... but had never _really..._

But his trust in Suki won out and the thought was whisked away by his next thought: action. He had to do something. Had to fix this. He could see the hurt in Suki's eyes. _Caused by my absence,_ he thought. Immediately he stepped up to her and wrapped his arms around her, trying to release some of the emotions that had exploded inside of him.

All of his confusion had happened in just under an instant. As he came back down to earth he heard his sister utter a startled "What?!" and Aang mumble a congratulations to no one in particular.. maybe Sokka or Suki, and maybe even Oro. Sokka didn't bother to look. He didn't notice that Toph said nothing, but stood back a little ways, scowling as she concentrated on something.

"Sokka?" Suki asked from his arms, her voice wavering a little. "You... you haven't said anything. Sokka..."

"I'm sorry." He cut her off. His voice was choked and he cleared his throat. "I wasn't here. I'm sorry." He took her head in his hands and leaned his forehead on hers, a tear slipping down his cheek. He opened his eyes and saw that she was close to crying, too.

"Do you... do you mind? I mean..." Suki wasn't sure what to say. Sokka laughed quietly.

"It's okay, Suki. It's wonderful." He paused and took a breath and without thinking said, "Marry me."

She nodded, and the water in her eyes slipped down her cheeks. "Sure, Sokka."

Since it seemed like the right thing to do, he kissed her, tasting their salty tears as he did so. He didn't stop to consider that he didn't know why he was crying.

Suki knew why she was crying, and she didn't like the reason.


	4. Chapter 4

Love Enlightened

Chapter 4:

A girl ran quickly down the hallway, her light boots tamping the wooden floors with every step. She slid to a stop just outside the door that led to a small porch that looked out on a quaint garden full of spring flowers. Suki sat on an outdoor bench, partially facing a warrior clad in blue. _Sokka_ the girl remembered. They held each others' hands between them and were smiling like old friends reunited.

The girl's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, and the pair turned to look at her. "Suki! Oh, I'm sorry! It's not important. Uh. I'll come back later..." She babbled, her long brown pigtails bouncing and she shifted her weight nervously.

"Calm down, Maren. It's alright. What's the matter?" Suki got up, releasing Sokka's hands, and came towards the younger girl. _By Kyoshi, she's so tall._

"Er... it's Noni. She won't stop crying. I'm sorry! Usually she stops for me, but..."

Suki took the girl's hand and gave it a squeeze. "It's okay, Maren. I'll look after her." She glanced over her shoulder. "Why don't you keep Sokka company?"

As Suki turned and walked away, Maren looked at Sokka wide-eyed, horrified to have interrupted them. Sokka turned and lounged back in the chair he sat in. He looked at Maren and smiled. She smiled to, glad he wasn't angry. She'd babysitted other children to, and sometimes the man would get mad if she interrupted something by asking the mother to help. She was glad Sokka wasn't one of them.

"So you take care of Noni?" He asked, uncomfortable with the silence. Maren smiled and nodded, bouncing a bit on her toes.

"Yeah. She's great. I help other mothers, too, and Noni is the easiest child to take care of."

"But you're nothing more than a child yourself." Sokka said, not unkindly. Maren pursed her lips a little bit and crossed her arms.

"I'm eleven! That's almost old enough to be a Kyoshi warrior!" She said. Sokka just shrugged.

"I guess I'm not one to gudge. I watched a thirteen-year-old end a hundred year war." He paused, then snickered to himself. "Well I guess he was one hundred and thirteen, but one hundred years in an iceburg don't really count." Maren brightened.

"Do I get to meet the Avatar?" She asked.

Sokka smiled. "Sure, if you want to."

"And the Blind Bandit, too?"

He smirked knowingly. "And what do you know about the Blind Bandit?"

"I know that she's the best earthbender in the world!" Maren cried, "I know everything Suki has told me, and how she helped save the world on the day of the comet, and that she li..." She covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes alight. Sokka was intrigued.

"And that she what?" he tried. She only giggled.

"I can't tell you." she said. His brow furrowed, his mouth twisting comically in genuine interest. He sat up.

"Why not?" He asked. More giggling.

"It's a secret." She whispered. Just then, Suki came out through the door.

"I don't know why she was crying, Maren, but she's calm now. Could you watch her for me?" she asked. Sokka studied his... _wow_... his betrothed. She was more mature than when they'd helped end the war five years ago. Her auburn hair fell a little lower on her shoulders, the bangs pinned back gracefully. When she wasn't training, she reverted to normal clothing -- long robes falling over large skirt-like pants and soft shoes. Having a child had not harmed her figure, but she had grown out of the sharp angles of adolescence. In Kyoshi the men did not make engagement necklaces; they exchanged rings. Suki wore her mother's engagement ring, since Sokka did not have one from his mother to give her.

"Sure thing, Sifu Suki!" Maren said before bounding off the way she'd come. Suki chuckled as she watched her go, and then turned back to Sokka.

"Where were we?" She asked as sat where she had been and took his hands.

"I believe you were just about to compliment me." He said slyly. She gave him a smirk and a look before crossing her arms.

"Somehow I don't think that was the case." She said.

"Why not?" He asked, slightly offended. She smiled and leaned forward.

"Because I know there are other things that are more fun." She said, and kissed him.

* * *

Headed down the hallway, skipping a little and congratulating herself on not letting the secret slip, Maren ran right into who the secret was about. Toph stumbled back and held back the urge to grope for something to hold onto. She hated these wooden floors.

"Hey, kid." She said, from what she'd gathered when they collided. "Have you seen Katara?"

Maren bounced a little nervously. "No, I haven't." The young earthbender sighed loudly.

"Great." She said sarcastically. "Sokka's _engagement _party is tonight and only Katara knows where she packed that dumb dress. I just want to get this over with, and now she and Twinkletoes have deigned to make themselves invisible!" She groaned, placing her fingers on her sinuses, where a headache was brewing.

"I'm sorry." Maren whispered. Toph softened.

"Hey, it's not your fault. As long as you don't know where Katara is, can you at least help me find my room so I don't walk into any walls on the way there?"

"Sure thing!" Maren piped. She headed the way Toph had come. As she passed, Toph put a hand on her shoulder and followed her.

"You don't seem too put out by my blindness." The ebony-haired teen commented.

"Why should I be? You're no different than everyone else." Maren said. Toph smiled.

"Well, I _am _different, but I'm glad you said that. I wish everyone saw me that way."

"Who doesn't? That seems silly."

Toph snorted. "Try everyone except my friends... and now you, apparently. Ah, this is my room, isn't it? I remember smelling that potted Jasmine on the way out."

Maren beamed. "Yes, it is! Sorry, but I have to go take care of Noni. You're okay, now?"

Toph nodded. "Yes, thank you. If you see Katara, send her my way. What was your name again?"

"Maren, and I will." The golden-eyed youth smiled brightly and skipped away towards Noni's room to look after the babe. She giggled to herself as she remembered the disdain with which the Blind Bandit had spoken of Sokka's engagement party. Maybe there was still some truth to that secret Suki told her almost a year ago. As much as Maren liked Suki, she couldn't help but hope that it all worked out for the nice blind girl.

* * *

What? Author's notes?

Aye. Only because I think there's a confusing bit. The thought "By Kyoshi, she's so tall" is Maren's, in reference to Suki. I was afraid some readers might think Suki thought Maren was a monstrous eleven year-old. If you review, let me know if that's what you thought when you read that. If so, I'll clarify next time.

That, and yay, Maren!

Okay, review if you liked it, plzthx!


	5. Chapter 5

Love Enlightened

Chapter 5:

Gentle, thrumming music filled the air and vibrated in the ground. The sweet twanging of stringed instruments and the steady beat of drums joined with the lowing of a horn, producing a tangible melody that Toph could almost taste. She let herself be lost in the sound and vibrations of the music and the beat of the dancers' feet.

"Toph?"

She tried to ignore the voice, keeping her unseeing eyes closed and swaying a bit with the music.

"Toph!" Katara insisted. Toph's eyes snapped open and she made a face.

"What?" She asked sharply, tensing.

"Why aren't you dancing?" Katara responded, more patient than she usually was. Toph rolled her eyes.

"Can't I enjoy the music without having to get up and move around? It's not like I have anyone to dance with."

"I'm sure there are plenty of guys who are dying to dance with you." Katara pointed out.

"What makes you think I would want to dance with _them?_" Toph asked testily. Katara sighed harshly, giving up on the ebony-haired youth. She turned to walk away, saying,

"You could at least try to look like you're enjoying Sokka's engagement party."

Toph said nothing, but when Katara was far enough away, she said, "I was enjoying the music, but I was using it to forget what the party is for." She crossed her arms and tried to fall back into the music, but now all she could see where the mincing footsteps of Sokka and Suki as they danced. "Thanks alot, Katara." Toph said, and pulled her bare feet up off the smooth marble floor and under her dress and legs.

Though she couldn't see it, the dress felt exquisite. It was the one Katara had made her buy back in Gaoling. It fit her perfectly without a corset, and the fabric slipped through her fingers like water. Katara had helped her into it and did her hair and makeup. She felt beautiful, but she wasn't sure if that meant anything, since she didn't know what beautiful looked like. Not that it mattered here.

_How long am I going to put off giving Ohev an answer? _She wondered. _I almost wish he was here, so that I weren't so alone._

Despite how she felt, she knew she had to talk to Sokka before the night was over. He had to know the truth.

"Hey, Toph," a voice said near her. She jumped and quickly placed her feet on the floor, and saw that it was Sokka. She should have recognized his voice, but it was pitched differently with exersion and excitement. "Do mind if I sit?" He asked, gesturing at a chair next to her.

"Why would I care?" She asked irratibly. He shrugged and sat next to her, looking out on the dancing crowd with a tired sort of interest. Their movements were entrancing, and he caught a glimpse of Aang dancing with Katara as they had in the Fire Nation before the comet. He wondered what they looked like to Toph, and opened his mouth to ask when she spoke.

"So where's Suki?" she asked, a bit bitterly. Sokka scratched an itch on his shoulder before responding.

"She went to get a drink at the food tables 'cause she was thirsty." Toph only grunted in reply, staring resolutely at the floor with pale, unseeing eyes. He studied her.

"You look really nice tonight," he said. Her expression softened a little bit, and she sat a tad bit straighter.

"Thanks," she mumbled. There was another moment of silence between them, until Toph took a breath.

"I need to talk to you later," she said. He nodded, not worried at all.

"Is it something about this mood you've been in?" He asked bravely. Or stupidly. One of the two. Toph's temper jumped.

"What?" She asked as she turned to him sharply, enraged. He shrugged.

"You've been kind of down and anti-social. I've been meaning to ask you about it."

"I'm not in a mood!"

"Which is why you're denying it," he said with a smug smirk.

"Of course I am!" She nearly yelled. He raised his hands in defeat, smiling.

"Okay, okay. Just let me know when you want to talk."

She started to say something in return, but Suki appeared in front of them like an apparation.

"Hey, Toph!" She said cheerfully. "Some friends of mine want to meet Sokka. Is that okay with you?"

Sourly, Toph said, "Please! Take him! He's annoying the bending out of me!" Suki smiled and took Sokka's hand, dashing away with a quick thanks to Toph.

Toph sat alone once more, scowling with her arms crossed. She heard the soft pitter patter of feet and then someone settled on the seat Sokka had just vacated. Toph felt the vibrations through the chair as the girl began to swing her feet with bottled up energy.

"Maren?" Toph asked.

"Wow, you knew it was me!" The girl exclaimed, a smile bright upon her face. She was wearing clothes a bit fancier than her everyday apparel - a simple turquoise child's dress and a white flower in her hair, which she was wearing down, the soft curls falling over her shoulders like tangled velvet vines. Toph smiled. The girl's positive energy was contagious.

"Why are you sitting here by yourself?" Maren asked.

"Why does everyone want to know that? Katara thinks I'm hopeless and Sokka thinks I'm in a 'mood', whatever that means. What do you think of me?" Toph complained. Maren looked at her seriously and said,

"I think you look lonely."

Toph fell silent and still, her eyes cast towards the ground. She turned towards Maren, casting her useless eyes in the girl's direction.

"You're right." Toph said sadly. She sighed. Maren smiled.

"You have me!" She said. Toph laughed.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Come on, come dance with me!" She said excitedly, jumping off of her chair and pulling on Toph's hands. The Blind Bandit looked shocked.

"Dance with you?" She asked.

"Yeah," Maren said. "And then you won't be lonely anymore." She pulled on Toph's hands again. Toph smiled, touched by the girl's kindness.

"Alright, I'll humor you," she laughed, and joined the throng of milling people.

* * *

Compared with the never-ending movement and vibrations of dancing, the beach was eerily still and the ocean was quiet. Toph took in a deep breath of sea air, the salt in it tickling her nose and a gentle inland breeze throwing back her ebony bangs and tugging at the skirt of her dress.

The grainy vibrations of footsteps in the sand cause her to turn.

"It's just me," Sokka said. Toph took a deep breath. Dancing with Maren, who was clumsy but enthusiastic and somehow very graceful, had lightened her mood considerably. It had been especially satisfying when Katara and broke rhythm for a step or two after seeing that an eleven year old had better success drawing Toph out than she had.

But her conversation with Sokka was not going to be easy, and fear that he wouldn't believe her tore at her insides with tiny needle teeth. Outwardly, at least, she smiled. Even under the circumstances, his voice was still the one she wanted to hear the most. Ohev entered her mind for a moment but she guiltily pushed him away.

"What're you doing out here?" She asked him. "The party's still going on inside."

Sokka chuckled and rolled his head, popping the bones inside and stretching his shoulders. "Just taking a break to catch my breath and find a moment of silence." He sighed.

Toph turned from him and listened a little bit to the pounding waves. They sounded a bit like the water tribe warrior's breathing when he slept. She shook her head. It had been five years since she'd heard him sleep.

"Sokka, the ocean is beautiful, isn't it?" She wasn't looking for affirmation, she was really asking him. He smiled.

"More beautiful than anything I've ever known." He said, and looked at her. "I bet it's sound and vibration are beautiful, too." Toph smiled.

"It's a giant emptiness in my vision, but I can feel the weight of it pressing against the earth, and the steady pounding of the waves on the shore. Water is such a strange concept to me. It has so much weight and power, yet it's got no shape when you try to pick it up, and it slips through your fingers like air." She shook her head with an amused smile. Sokka glanced at her, surprised.

"I don't think it would make much sense to me, either, if I saw it that way." He smiled, and an idea struck him, and he took her hand. "Come on." He pulled her hand towards the ocean and she automatically set her feet.

"Stupid! Don't you remember the Serpent's Pass? I can't swim!" She said, panic adding an edge to her voice.

"I know that," he said. "I don't want you to swim, I just want you to feel the water with me, just up to your ankles." Toph relaxed a little bit and pulled up her dress with one hand, taking a step towards him. He smiled and led her the rest of the way into the waves.

She gasped as the water touched her sensitive feet. It was colder than she'd expected. He laughed.

"The water on the other side of the island is warmer." He explained. "This water flows up from the south pole, so it's a bit chilly."

She laughed and shoved him a little. "No kidding!"

Any ignorant onlooker would have assumed they were a couple had they stopped to watch the pair run up and down the beach. They jumped when the waves came rolling up to them, often chasing the waves and each other as they slid back into the ocean. The hem of Toph's dress became wet, and his Water Tribe boots protected his own feet from the chilly water. Their laughter pealed out across the beach, full of more joy than the low murmer and music of the party in the building on the near hill. Toph's light laughter rang like bells as she flung a bit of water at Sokka with her hand, and in return he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms as she struggled, preventing her from splashing him.

When Toph's feet started to go numb from the water, Sokka pulled her back up onto the cool white sand of the beach, where they sat on the trunk of a nearby fallen tree, laughing breathlessly. Strangs of hair sat out of place on Toph's head, shaken loose from the bonds Katara had made for them. Her face was flushed from moving and laughing, and her eyes shined, happier than she'd been in a while. She couldn't help but think once more that she and Sokka were meant to be, but she quickly reminded herself that he was getting married to Suki, and she would most likely marry Ohev in return. She remembered what she'd wanted to tell him.

"So, I have something to talk to you about," she said. He turned to her, his blue eyes shining in Yue's light, admiration and friendship shining inside them.

"I remember. Shoot." He wiped at some sand on his pants.

"It's about Suki," she said in a rush. He froze and slowly turned to her, giving her his complete attention. When she paused at length, he prompted her to go on.

"Well... Sokka, you trust me, right?" She asked.

"With my life." No hesitation. She sighed.

"Same here. So you wouldn't doubt me?" She seeked.

"No, of course not. What is this about, Toph?" He asked impatiently. She fiddled with a sequine on her dress and looked up at the sky.

"When Suki came out of the house when we first arrived, she came down the steps and stood on the ground as she greeted us." Sokka nodded, wondering where she was going with this. "Then, when Maren brought Noni out, and Suki introduced Noni as her daughter..." she hesitated.

"What?" Sokka asked.

"She was telling the truth. But when she said she was your daughter, too..."

Sokka's breath caught in his throat. This couldn't be happening.

"She was lying, Sokka. I saw it. She knows who the father is, and she knows it isn't you."

Sokka's heart hammered in his chest. Someone lied to him. Either Suki was lying about him being the father or Toph was lying to him now. Why would either of them...?

"Sokka," she gasped. "I need you to say something. I can't see much in the sand."

He tensed and sat rimrod straight. His mind wasn't working properly. Toph's accusation struck a chord of knowing inside of him, but... he just couldn't accept it.

"It can't be true." He whispered.

"Sokka, I'm sorry."

"No! It can't be true!"

"But it is!" she cried.

"You're lying!" He jumped off the log and backed away from her.

Immediately all possibility of tears fled her. A minute ago, she knew what she had said would cause him pain, and she was sad for him. But he'd just said he trusted her with her life and wouldn't doubt her. And he has the nerve to call her a lier? It was too much for her.

"Why would I lie to you?" She asked, jumping up to follow him. He was dumb for a moment, and then, stuttering, found an argument.

"I... I think you're jealous!"

"What?" She screamed, much like she had when Katara had insinuated that it was Toph's fault they'd gotten no sleep that one night. An edge of panic edged her voice. Had he guessed?

"Yeah! You're jealous because I'm getting married and you're not!"

She chuckled humorlessly. "You have no idea what you're talking about." She muttered darkly.

"I think I do!"

"I think you don't!" She screamed. The commotion had cause a couple of people to leave the building of the party. Seeing the two friends facing off, ran back inside to get Suki and Katara.

"What other reason would you have for lying to me about Suki?" He reasoned falsely.

"I'm _not _lying, you idiot!"

"Prove it!"

Shaking with anger, she whipped the necklace out a hidden pocket in the dress - the necklace she'd been carrying everywhere she went for nearly two weeks. "Here's your proof!" she screamed. "Ohev gave me this necklace two weeks ago when he _proposed_ to me!"

Stunned, Sokka could only take a step back in shock and stare at the pendant swinging from her tense white fist from a golden chain. She pulled the necklace over her head so that the pendent sat shining in the moonlight upon her chest.

"And guess what, Sokka?" she said, her anger poisonous in her voice, "You've just convinced me to accept his offer. I'm going home."

She turned, then stopped and said over her shoulder, "I guess you don't trust me as much as you thought you did." She jumped and stomped the earth into a crater before raising it back up and skating away on the rolling mound of sand. He looked after her, completely shocked and feeling like he just made a giant fool of himself. _But... but it can't be true..._ he thought. _Can it?_

At that moment, Suki and Katara burst out of the building, followed closely by Aang and many other guests. Sokka just wanted to curl up into a ball and hide in the earth. Suki slid down the sandy slope from the hill above and ran to him. She hugged him, and he numbly wrapped his arms around her until she pulled back and looked up into his eyes.

"Sokka, where have you been? What happened? They said people were yelling..." she rushed, and he put a finger on her lips. She fell silent.

Quietly, so that nobody looking could hear him, he said,

"Suki, can we talk?"

* * *

Doh! Cliffhanger!

I hope you guys like this so far. I know I haven't put any author's comments on this story yet, but I really love this chapter. I sat down and wrote it all in one go, and it didn't give me any trouble. Let me know what you like about the story when you review!

I haven't said this yet, but it's pretty much a given: I don't own Avatar or the characters in it.


	6. Chapter 6

Love Enlightened

Chapter 6:

Maren only caught snatches of the conversations around her, and the people making conversations were woefully uninformed. Shaking her young head, her curls bouncing, she went to find out what was going on herself. She spent thirty minutes looking for the Blind Bandit and decided finally that Toph wasn't at the party anymore. As she left, she saw Sokka pull Suki aside into a private room. She also saw Katara bustling around like a worried mother hen as the Avatar trailed her trying to talk some sense into her.

Finally the eleven-year-old made it out into the clear night away from all those people. The party was slowly breaking up. The music had stopped and the residents of Kyoshi island were making their way home. Maren hustled past them all, headed towards the guest house.

* * *

"Sokka... Sokka, what is it?"

Sitting on the small couch, he rubbed his face with his hands, thoughts and questions and doubts hurtling around in her head. In response to her query, he just shook his head. She sat next to him and took his hand.

"Sokka... you can tell me what's on your mind." Wild hope and devastating disappointment fought for a place in her mind. She bit her lip, not sure what to feel, and not sure if she even knew what he was thinking about.

He still wasn't volunteering anything. "Okay, let's start out with an easier question. Who were you fighting with out on the beach?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment, a headache brewing, before he put his face in his hand again and answered.

"Toph." He sounded sad, and confused, and... something else she didn't recognize. She massaged the hand she held, waiting patiently. It was up to him at this point, but she was pretty sure what he was going to say.

"I... I can't imagine that she'd lie to me, Suki. I just... I don't know what to think anymore." He lifted his head and looked her in the eyes, turning towards her. He took her hands. "I need you to promise that you'll be honest with me."

She nodded. _Here it comes..._

"She said... she said that I'm not Noni's father."

Suki kept her face blank for a moment. His emotions were clear. He was confused, sad, a little disbelieving. She asked herself how _she _felt. This isn't what her father wanted, but... it's what she wanted. She knew when she stood on that earth that Toph would know. Did she do it on purpose, or...

She closed her eyes and brought his fingers to her lips, kissing them before she quietly said, "It's true."

He slowly pulled his hand from hers, and she let it go. "Why did you lie to me?"

She took a deep breath. "I might as well tell you the whole story. Would you like that?"

"You don't have t... I..." he looked at her "...yes," he finished weakly. She smiled, softly, sadly. Without his hand to hold, she drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, looking out the window to the starless night.

"A couple of months after you left last year, I was feeling really lonely. I had no idea when you were coming back." She clenched her arms. "It doesn't excuse what I did."

"A band of nomads came through, and we welcomed them. They had a cheerfulness about them that made everyone happy. The leader and his wife played songs for everyone, and they asked for nothing in return.

"With them was a boy, maybe sixteen or seventeen, travelling with them. He was charming, and we danced a couple of times during the songs. After about two weeks of living here, he really started to court me. I was flattered." She paused. "Alot of the things he said reminded me of how good you treated me. He was so kind, and always humble. He was forever complimenting me."

Sokka took a deep breath. She glanced at him and looked away again before continuing.

"The night before they left, they had a big party. There were drinks. I had a few and so did he. He fed me words of love and promises I thought he would keep." Suki clenched her eyes closed and a tear slipped down her cheek, and took a deep breath.

"When I woke up, he was gone, still travelling with the nomads. Clear-headed, I realized what I'd done. A month later, the village healers told me I was pregnant." She loosened her arms and wiped her cheek on her hand. When she stayed silent, Sokka took her hand and rubbed it with his thumbs.

"But why did you lie to me?" He asked softly, a tear that matched hers unseen in the dark.

"It wasn't my idea. My father knew I'd probably never see the nomad boy again, but he knew you'd be coming back for me, since you didn't know. He said to tell you she was yours so that you'd marry me and restore my honor."

Sokka chuckled a little, thinking of Zuko. "So you didn't want to, then." She jerked, sitting up on her legs.

"Lie to you? Spirits no! I argued against it for hours! But my father had this whole year to convince me. Especially after Noni was born, I saw how hard it would be to do this alone, and I finally said I'd do it."

Sokka smiled, if a bit sadly. "It means alot, that you didn't want to."

She wiped her face, sniffing. "Thank you." A cloud was blown away from the half-moon, and the light poured in through the open window. She glanced away and swallowed. "But you don't want to marry me anymore, do you?"

He said nothing, also looking out the window. Finally he looked up at the moon, and then back at Suki. He took a deep breath. "I love you, Suki. Even though you didn't lie to me..."

She looked down. "I did cheat on you."

He squeezed her hand. "Yeah. And... well, when Toph showed me that necklace..." He rubbed his eyes, trying to banish the mounting headache. "It feel so weird to say it to you, but..."

"A necklace? Like a betrothal necklace." Suki smiled a bit. "You were jealous?"

He nodded. "Yeah, a little bit."

* * *

"Toph!" Maren ran through the halls of the guest house towards the earthbender's small stone room. No one answered.

"Toph!" She called as she got to the stone door, and the seventeen-year-old opened it abruptly.

"What?" She asked angrily. Maren cowered a little bit. She'd never seen the earthbender so mad.

"Toph... it's me." She said quietly. Toph's face fell.

"Maren... I'm sorry," she said, slumping against the doorframe. Maren rushed forward and hugged the earthbender. She could feel the grit of sand conflicting with the silkiness of the pale green dress. Toph surprised herself by hugging the girl back. After a few moments, Toph pulled away. "I have to go."

Maren cried out. "Why? What happened?" Toph just shook her head and went back to stuffing her stuff in her bag. "Suki trusts me! You can too!"

Tears stung Toph's eyes at the mention of _her. _She stuffed the last thing in her bag and closed it up. She tossed it over her shoulder and made for the door, still not answering the kind little girl.

"You love him!" Maren cried as Toph walked away, which froze the Blind Bandit in her tracks. "You love Sokka and won't tell anyone!"

The silence stretched on, motionless. "It doesn't matter anymore," Toph muttered. She walked through the door and felt her way up the wooden hallway, leaving Maren by herself in the bedroom.

Dodging returning villagers, Toph made her way to the docks and bribed one half-asleep boatman to take her across to the mainland. He nearly refused until she pulled out that finger-sized bar of gold.

Maren ran after her, but only reached the end of the dock when the boat was too far away. She blinked back the tears and frowned. "Mama always told me earthbenders were stubborn."

Suki chuckled. "She loves you, too, you know," she said nonchalantly. Sokka looked up at her, shocked.

"What?"

She laughed. "You really never noticed? Well, I guess Aang had to kiss your sister to get her to see, so he says. Toph's too shy to do that, I think." Suki's humor was genuine, but sad. "I think I'm the only what who knows. Remember the Serpent's Pass?"

Sokka nodded, Suki's declaration having turned him dumb.

"When she fell through the ice and was going to drown, you called out to her, but I jumped in first." She looked at him. "She's blind, Sokka. She thought I was you. When I pulled her out of the water, she kissed me on the cheek." She laughed. "It's the most un-Toph-like thing I can remember her doing, and when she realized it was me, she was so embarrassed!"

"She's liked me since way back then?" He stated, still completely dumbfounded. A rush of memories bombarded him - scams and practical jokes and heart-to-heart talks. He realized all in a rush that he'd missed her as much as he'd missed Suki... maybe more. He looked in Suki's eyes and saw alot of things - regret, honesty, love... but no jealousy. He must have looked shocked. She looked out the window with a sad smile on her face.

"I decided a long time ago that the two of you might end up loving each other. You and I were good together, Sokka, but the past few years have taught me that things change when you least expect them to." She took his hands. "If you love her, don't let me stand in the way. I have my father and the Kyoshi warriors and Maren. I'll get by."

His face fell, the wonder at his realizations left him, and he turned away. "Toph left. I made her so angry... Suki, I called her a liar! It's too late. She's gone back to Gaoling to marry Ohev."

It was Suki's turn to look shocked. She jumped up and pulled Sokka with her. "Sokka, you have to get to her before she gives him her answer!"

"What? Why?"

"Sokka, the boy, the traveller, the nomad, whatever you want to call him. I knew him long enough to know his name!" She saw realization dawn in Sokka's eyes. "Toph doesn't know that Ohev is Noni's father!"

Together Suki and Sokka fled the house in which they had just recently been celebrating the engagement, and outside ran into Katara and Aang.

"Sokka, what's going on?" Katara asked worriedly.

Sokka opened his mouth to speak, but Suki beat him to it. "The wedding is off!" She exclaimed. Katara's jaw dropped. "Aang, Sokka needs to borrow Appa!"

Utterly confused, Aang asked, "Why? What's going on?"

"I've got to stop Toph from marrying Ohev," Sokka answered.

"Wait, back up!" Katara exclaimed.

"No time!" Suki said breathlessly. "We have to catch her before she accepts his proposal! If she got on a boat right after her fight with Sokka, she's probably landing on the mainland right now!"

"And she can move alot faster over land," Aang added. "Let's go."

Sokka, Suki, and Aang ran off towards the barn that held Appa. Katara stood still, stunned, and then turned and ran to catch up with them. "Wait! I don't understand!" Sokka scrambled up Appa's side into the saddle.

"I'll tell you on the way, Katara. Get in!" He reached a hand down to her and pulled her up into the saddle. He repeated the motion, reaching for Suki, but she stepped away.

"Suki, aren't you coming?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I need to stay. Noni, remember? I can't go off adventuring at the drop of a hat anymore."

"I... I guess this is goodbye again, then." Appa got ready to take off. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too, Sokka." He waved to her and saw her wave in return. As she faded out of sight he righted himself in the saddle, only to find Katara staring him down irrately, making him jump slightly.

"You have alot of explaining to do." She said.


	7. Chapter 7

Love Enlightened

Chapter 7:

The trip was uneventful, but uncomfortable (explaining to Katara all that had happened and subsequently being chewed out for his rash and insulting behavior) and felt painfully long. When they finally touched down on the Bei Fong estate, Sokka was already looking around wildly for the jet-haired earthbender. He saw nothing.

"We'll ask her parents where she is and then go talk to her. It's going to be okay, Sokka." His sister tried to sooth his impatience.

He didn't answer.

Katara sighed and just looked to Aang on Appa's head, who shrugged. Both of them felt helpless in the current situation.

* * *

The servant came into the room and bowed low, nodding to Mr and Mrs. Bei Fong before announcing that the Avatar had just landed in the front of the estate. Lao opened his mouth to speak but his usually soft spoken wife stood up quickly and said "I'll take care of it, Lao."

A little stunned, he nodded and went back to his papers. Poppy exited the room, waving a hand to dismiss the servant, and made for the front door.

Sokka was about to reach up and knock on the door when it opened. His heart skipped a beat before he realized that the black haired and pale-skinned woman before him was Toph's mother. She slipped out the big wooden door and closed it behind her. Sokka took a step back, unsure.

"You are looking for Toph, correct?"

Sokka didn't really know what to say, but Aang came up behind them and said, "Yes. Do you know where she is?"

"How did you know?" Sokka asked, confused but finding his tongue. Mrs. Bei Fong coughed discreetly and rolled her eyes a bit, looking less and less like a proper wife and more like Toph's mother.

"She came back early this morning and stomped straight to her room. I went to check on her and offer her breakfast a few hours later and she wasn't in her bed anymore." She answered. Sokka's face fell and Poppy's eyes snapped to him, studying him closely. "You understand now, don't you?" She asked slowly.

Deciding not to question the woman, who was turning out to be extremely intuitive and much more intelligent than she seemed, Sokka only nodded dumbly. He almost swore he saw a smirk in the corner of her mouth before it disappeared and Poppy was all business.

"Young man, if you really want to talk to her, I can help you find Toph."

* * *

Toph sat absolutely still in the silence, her hair cushioning her head against the dark rock and soil of the cave wall. She breathed slowly and deeply, reveling in the smells of the earth. She could nearly name every mineral by smell, and their unique sounds and vibrations reverberated back to her after every breath. The solidity of the earth around her brought her peace as she emptied her mind of troubling thoughts and memori-

_"You're lying!"_

Of ALL troubling thoughts and memories. She let them slide out of her mind, focusing instead on the immenseness of the ground beneath her, and the gentle rumblings that came from deep within the earth.

_"I just want you to feel the water with me."_

She shifted, drowning out the memory with all of the vibrations that came back from the many different stratas of rock beneath her feet.

By the time she'd gotten home, all of her energy was spent - thanks to her fight with Sokka and the long boat ride. She crashed on the bed and forced herself to sleep, but only got a few hours before she was woken up by the sound of his voice in a dream. No matter how she turned, the sheets were uncomfortable warm and soft beneath her body. She finally slipped out the window and ran to her private cave, the place she'd met the badgermoles for the first time so long ago, trying to drown herself in the vibrations of the earth. Tomorrow she would go see Ohev and accept his offer, and just forget about him. Just get on with her life.

But his voice just kept coming back no matter how many times she drowned it out. Forgetting to push away the thought, she wondered in the briefest moment of panic and despair if it would be this way the rest of her life.

_"You look really nice tonight."_

If it was going to always be this way, she supposed she deserved it. She should have let this crush go a long time ago, instead of fanning the flame in the vain hope that it might turn into something. She did the right thing in telling him what she'd found out about Noni, but if he was happy with Suki then she was selfish to hope that he would leave his fiance because of that. She tried to be compassionate and instead she blew up at him for denying something that was simply hard to accept.

"Hey... Toph."

Thinking it was just another memory, she ignored it and remained motionless. Sokka stepped closer, heart thudding uncomfortably in his chest. Half of him expected her to flick her wrist and send him into a cavern in the ceiling to think about how he'd treated her back on Kyoshi.

He wouldn't argue that he didn't deserve it.

He took another step and Toph all at once took in the vibrations and came to the realization that the greeting hadn't been just a memory. _How did he find me?_ was the first thing to go through her head.

Well, other than the all-around shock that he was there.

Her second thought was _Why?_

She tensed, still not moving, not giving anything away as he just stood there awkwardly, staring at her. She wasn't wearing her dress anymore, but she wasn't in anything fancier then a plain tunic. It wasn't even her regular outfit.

Her mind raced. She suddenly felt intense guilt. Had he come here, and left his fiance, just to make sure there were no hard feelings? Just to make her feel better or congratulate her on her coming engagement? He had left the woman he loved and the child he chose to believe was his JUST to come talk to the selfish girl who'd torn his world apart?

"I'm sorry." She gasped. He took a step back, eyes wide. He wanted to say _That's my line! _but thought that maybe this wasn't the time and place for a dumb joke.

"Toph..."

She jolted to her feet awkwardly, ignoring the buzzing as the limbs that hadn't moved in hours were forced to work again.

"I'm fine, okay? I'm happy for you, I really am. I'm so sorry I wrecked your party and got you upset." Once the feeling had returned to her limbs, she stepped towards him and grabbed his tunic. "You're an amazing guy and Suki is perfect for you-"

"But Toph, I-"

"I'm happy you found her. Forget what I said, okay? I-"

"Toph."

"I just want you to be happy, okay?"

They both stopped talking, and Sokka stared down at Toph, amazed. She stood still, limbs still a little tingly, still clasping his tunic with her hands.

"So... so go home. Go marry Suki and teach Noni to love meat as much as you do, okay?"

He placed his hands on her forearms. They were shaking, and she kept her head tilted down, her face hidden behind her bangs.

"Toph, I'm not getting married."

Her head tipped up, her sightless eyes shocked. "What?"

"_I'm _the one who should be sorry, Toph. I'm so sorry for acting the way I did."

Her mouth gaped like a fish as she struggled for words. "But Suki..."

"Suki understands."

Toph took a moment to try to take it in, and Sokka waited with uncharacteristic patience. When she spoke again it sounded much more like the normal Toph that he knew... _and loved._

"It's a good thing she does, because I don't understand at all."

Sokka laughed and just lifted his hands to her head, pulling her to him and placing his cheek on her hair. She turned her head and rested on his shoulder, her arms snaking around his back. She was the perfect height to listen to his heart beat. The gentle thumping nearly put her tired mind to sleep.

"So I have something to talk to you about." He said, not releasing her. She smiled in recognition.

"Shoot."

"Are _you _getting married?"

"Do you think I should?"

He pretended to think about it. "Not particularly." He said finally. He released her and cupped her head in his hands and searched her face. "But I just want you to be happy."

She put her hands on his arm wrappings and rubbed them absent-mindedly. "I dunno... he made me a really nice necklace." She teased.

"I've invented hot air balloons, submarines, and all other sorts of things, and I get beat by a cheap necklace?"

Toph released his arms and pulled the necklace out of her tunic and over her head and voluminous hair in order to hold it in her hand. He held the underside of her hands and studied it.

"Wow, that _is_ pretty good." He said, mildly impressed. He looked up to Toph's face and she was smirking, like she was laughing at her own private joke. "What?"

"This necklace isn't going to make me happy."

"Does that mean you're not getting married?"

"Not anytime soon. I will one day." She grinned.

He smiled and pulled her head forward, kissing her on the forehead. "Good."

She rubbed her fingers on the necklace's design one more time, looking thoughtful. "He really is a nice guy. I'll try to let him down gently."

It was Sokka's turn to smirk. "Oh, he'll be fine. We can tell him he has a kid on Kyoshi Island he could go claim. Instant family."

Toph stood stock still as Sokka turned and walked towards the entrance of the cave, trying to take in what he just said. Her eyes got wide.

"Wait... what?!"

* * *

"So Noni is Ohev's kid?"

The afternoon sun filtered down through the trees as they walked hand in hand through the little patch of woods that seperated the Bei Fong Estate from the hidden entrance to the cave. Toph was a little upset that her mother knew where it was, but the fact that the guy she'd been crushing on for nearly six years didn't want to let go of her hand kind of distracted her from being too unhappy about it. Aang, Katara, and Mrs. Bei Fong had gone ahead back to the estate on Appa, giving the pair a chance to talk and set things straight.

"Yeah, apparently."

"He never told me..." She said softly.

"Well," Sokka said in Ohev's defense, "I doubt he knows. He ran off before Suki even knew she was pregnant. Seeing as they were drunk, there's no telling how much of that he actually remembers."

"I guess we'll get to tell him." Toph said a little too cheerily.

"Oh yeah, that'll go over great. 'Hey, Ohev, remember me? Well, Toph loves me, not you, aaaand you fathered a child over on Kyoshi island, so how about you go take care of that, yeah? Good luck getting on Suki's good side after the tough spot you left her in!'"

Toph punched him with her free hand, "Who on earth said I loved you? I never said that."

"Suki said so. And your mom did too, kind of. And Katara's claiming she's always known-"

"That's a bunch of horsefeathers, and you know it."

"-and you DO say it. Everytime you squeeze my hand and smile that special smirk."

"I do not have a special smirk for you."

"Oh, now that I've deciphered your code, you're going to go into denial. Way to make a guy feel loved."

"Out of your own mouth you said that you had NO IDEA until Suki told you about the Serpent's Pass. How does that count as _you _'deciphering'?" Toph grinned and squeezed his hand.

"See? There it was, you just did it again." He chuckled, his own face splitting into a smile. She blushed and punched him in the arm.

"No, I didn't 'see' it, actually..."

Sokka only laughed and kissed her hand before releasing it and running towards the Bei Fong estate wall, which was now within seeing distance. She chased after him, matching his laughter.

As they ran in through the open side gate and played tag in the garden, Poppy looked out through an ornately framed window, bringing her teacup up to her gently smiling lips and taking a sip.


End file.
